Denbigh gets a landmark and rare 35-13 win over Hampton

All told, it was the 20th win of Marcellus Harris III's six-year coaching career. But it was so much more than that.

With a 35-13 pounding of Hampton on Friday night at Todd Stadium, Denbigh proved itself to any remaining skeptics. It was a landmark moment for the program, which just two years ago didn't win a single game.

"Without a doubt," Harris said when asked if it was Denbigh's biggest win during his tenure. "Hampton is one of those teams we always wanted to shoot for and be like. To get a victory over them feels good for everybody. It's good for the school and the program."

A quick glance at history shows why. Denbigh (5-2, 4-2 Peninsula District) hadn't beaten the Crabbers since 1989, long before any of its current players were born. Harris was in the fifth grade at Hidenwood Elementary.

The Patriots' only other win came in 1976. Denbigh and Hampton had played 48 times, and the Crabbers won 46 of them.

The Crabbers (3-4, 2-4) took a 7-0 lead on Demetrius Strickland's 4-yard touchdown run, but the Patriots then ran off 28 consecutive points.

Denbigh quarterback Terrence Dingle had a remarkable night. Not only did he complete 18-of-21 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown, he ran for two scores and intercepted two passes on defense. Patrick Alston, who missed last week's win over Gloucester with an injury, rushed for 113 yards and two TDs.

Defensively, where they are the most improved, the Patriots held the Crabbers' athletes to 227 total yards and forced two turnovers. Its 13 points mark Hampton's second-lowest total of the season (behind only the shutout loss to Phoebus).

"Our guys had kind of a rough week of practice with all the rain," Harris said. "They were anxious to show everybody how hard they had been working. It was actually hard for me to get them under control before the game. They were so amped and excited."

And afterward?

"The excitement on their faces, and how they were in the locker room and the bus ride back to school, I told them to enjoy it as much as possible," Harris said. "Normally, I get on them when they act that, but this time I let them have it before they get back to work. We still have a lot more to accomplish."

The win will boost Denbigh's already-solid position in the Group 4A South ratings. The Patriots were No. 8 going into the game. The top 16 qualify for postseason.

With a win over Menchville on Friday, Denbigh would clinch its first winning season since 2006.

Canes win again

Heritage won its seventh straight game Friday night, but coming against a Gloucester team nobody takes for granted anymore it wasn't easy.

"They're a very well-coached team," Hurricanes coach George Massenburg said following the 21-14 win. "And that No. 17 (James Scott), he's a great athlete. We had some guys out and we didn't have a good week of practice because of the rain. We didn't play the football we're used to playing."

Heritage was without two-way linemen Darrion Turner and Robert Sheppard and receiver ReSean Streater, who were out with injuries. And the Canes' offense, which came in averaging 35 points a game, was held to a season-low two touchdowns.

Defensively, Heritage did a good job preventing big plays. But Scott ran for 189 yards, bringing his season total to 1,039, and a pair of touchdowns.

"He never seems like he's tired," Massenburg said. "He's in shape, I know that. I'm not taking anything away from Gloucester, but you put him on any other team in the district, he's the player of the year by far."

Toliver gets the nod

As a freshman last fall, Phoebus' Terrell Toliver started every game at quarterback. And he led the Phantoms to a 12-1 record the last official Peninsula District championship.

But this year, Toliver has lined up primarily at wide receiver on offense. Coming into Friday night, he was the Phantoms' leading receiver with six catches for 105 yards and two touchdowns.

Against Bethel, Phoebus coach Jeremy Blunt gave Toliver his first start of the season at quarterback. This coming a week after Joe Addison, the starter until now, had his best game of the season by completing 6-of-10 throws for 99 yards against Menchville.

Toliver hit on 4-of-11 passes for 86 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 64 yards and two scores.

"T.T. is special," Blunt said. "Joe's special, too. There's really no difference in the two in reference to one being better than the other. They both fit our system well.

"Tonight, we just wanted to give T.T. an opportunity to play ball back there. He hadn't had an opportunity all year, and we wanted to give him one."

On tap

Gloucester at Hampton (Thursday at Darling); Menchville vs. Denbigh (Friday at Todd); Woodside at Phoebus (Friday at Darling); Kecoughtan at Heritage (Saturday at Todd); Warwick at Bethel (Saturday at Darling).